The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-03-23
A TYPICAL SWELL DINNER,
HOW ONE WAS GIVEN BY Eek.
elusive NEW WORKERS.

Bills of Fare With Each Guests
1ortrait Drawn by an Artist
What was Eaten.
In one of her New York letters Clara
Belle says: The anti-dance dinners are
careful affairs, il need scarcely be said
Tor they are inevitably compared. CON
trasted and discussed bv the guests
when they assemble Immediately after
ward. Mrs. William Waldorf Astor's
dinner, on the last of these occasions. was
ior only twelve couples. The long table
mad no cloth, the beautifully polished
mahogany being bare, except for a strip
OF finely embroidered velvet through the
center, on which stood rare flowers in
art vases and wax candles in elaborate
eandelabra. At each guests place lay
hand-painted bill of fare, with his or
her name not on it, but instead carica-
ture portrait, by means of which loca-
tlons were made. These pictures did not
dlstort the faces, nor at all Extensively ex-
aggerate any personal peculiarities but
were merely big heads on small
bodies, and altogether rather fiat
tering than otherwise. They were
exqulsitey drawn by some clever
artist, and one who did not
care to be known as having done
such utilitarian work, for no mark of his
identity could be discovered on the cards.
10 every lady was also provided a big
corsage bouquet, tied with satin ribbon to
harmonic with her toilet. A great va
rlety OF colors must have been provided
beforehand and selections hastily but ac-
curately made by some expert after the
arrivals, because no instance of bad
match could be seen the table round. The
gentlemen got button-hole punches of
flowers. Mr.. and Mrs. Astor led the way
into the dining-room, but separated and
took places opposite each other at the
centre of the board. The rest found
their assigned chairs in pairs. The femi-
nine toilets were beautiful and costly,
but in no instance gorgeous Simple ele.
gance seemed to be aimed at.
The repast began with raw oysters,
tiny ones, opened on the deep shells, the
outsides Of which had been FURNISHED
until they were fit for iewelry. They
were not served on plates, but in frames
of twisted and silvered wire. each of
these novel contrivances holding ten.
The next course was clear soup in hand
painted dishes. Boiled salmon, with
white sauce and Partisan potatoes, came
third, The fish was not brought on |
dishes ornamented with pictures of fish. /
Such crockery has gone out of fashion /
with the extremely swell, and now it is /
not thought refined to have representa- /
tions of anything eatable painted on |
dishes. Even flowers are not approved .
for such purposes. The idea is, that if. .
in lifting a morsel of delicate food /
a rose should be uncovered, the
highly educated and acute palate of the
eater might be offended. Chicken cro-
quettes aud asparagus were fourth next
small broiled birds, then fillets of beef
with mushrooms; then ices with cake.
and finally coffee. 1t will be seen that
no great variety was afforded, but the
cookery was perfect. The dinner began
It o'clock and lasted until II. Talk
much of the time, but there
vas hearty eating generally for it is con
idered stylish now for women to have
obust appetites.
Was there alcohol in this dinnerl
'leuty. Total abstinence is not prac-
iced in any swell New York family that
know of. a different wine was brought
With every course. And each wine had
Is separate and fanciedly appropriate
lasses. Chablis came in a small glass,
nth slender stem and concave sides,
olding no more than good swallow,
7hich was taken down at one gulp by
lost OF the guests That was regarded
5 an appetizer, and accompanied the
ystsrS. The soup was simultaneous
'Ith red wine, tasting like Macon, and
srved IN stemmed glass whose sides ]
ere convex, thus holding enough TO sip
owly during the course. The fish was ]
ontemporaneOus with Rheuish wine q
green, thin tumbler, and in this case
ecanters were left within reach Of all a
le diners, so that reilling was handy. !
lth the chicken came red and white 1
ordeaux in the original bottles. Just q
ter the beef a rum punch was served in
NY cups of some rare China ware. The I
lampagne arrived with the dessert, and c
ere was a choice of three makes. {